risk assessment procedure - darlington

- DARLINGTON - BOROUGH COUNCIL

Risk Assessment Procedure Corporate Health and Safety Arrangements

Corporate Health and Safety Arrangements

Document Name Risk Assessment Procedure

Document Number CSA016

Authorised By Health and Safety Team

Date of Current Issue November 2018

Dates Reviewed Amendments Authorised By

2007,2009,2011,2013 General reviews. Minor amends Health and Safety Team

November 2018 Scheduled review - Minor updates to the form to reflect arrangement format change.

Health and Safety Team

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Contents

1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................ 3

2 RESPONSIBILITIES ..................................................................................................... 3

3 METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................... 4

3.1 TERMINOLOGY.................................................................................................................................................... 4

3.2 GENERAL ........................................................................................................................................................... 4

3.3 IDENTIFYING THE HAZARD ..................................................................................................................................... 4

3.4 IDENTIFYING WHO IS AT RISK ................................................................................................................................. 4

3.5 ASSESSING THE RISK............................................................................................................................................. 4

3.6 RESIDUAL RISK .................................................................................................................................................... 6

3.7 SPECIFIC RISK ASSESSMENTS .................................................................................................................................. 7

3.8 EXISTING CONTROL MEASURES............................................................................................................................... 7

3.9 CORPORATE ARRANGEMENTS ................................................................................................................................ 7

3.10 BEHAVIOURAL SAFETY.......................................................................................................................................... 7

3.11 RESIDUAL RISK CONTROL MEASURES/ DYNAMIC RISK ASSESSMENT ............................................................................ 8

3.12 FURTHER CONTROL MEASURES .............................................................................................................................. 8

3.13 COMMUNICATION OF RISK ASSESSMENTS ................................................................................................................ 8

3.14 REVIEW ............................................................................................................................................................. 8

4 APPENDIX 1: RISK ASSESSMENT FLOW CHART ......................................................... 10

5 APPENDIX 2: LIST OF COMMON HAZARDS............................................................... 11

6 APPENDIX 3: RISK ASSESSMENT FORM.................................................................... 12

CSA016 – RISK ASSESSMENT


1 Introduction

It is Darlington Borough Council’s policy to ensure that hazards are identified, associated risks are assessed and suitable control measures are implemented to reduce the risk. This procedure provides guidance on how to conduct risk assessments.

Risk Assessment is not a one-off exercise but is part of a continuous process to check and improve the validity of the judgements made about the risks and the effectiveness of control measures to reduce risks by careful planning.

The purpose of a risk assessment is simply to record:

• The existence of a hazard.

• Who is exposed to the hazard and the risk the hazard represents (including who might be harmed).

• The identification of suitable control measures to reduce the risk to acceptable levels and any further control measures that might be needed.

• When the risk assessment will be reviewed.

A manager should communicate and discuss risk assessments during the induction of new employees to ensure they are made aware of health and safety risks and controls in place. It is important that all employees are informed about any new risk assessments or changes to existing ones.

2 Responsibilities

Directors and Assistant Directors are responsible for ensuring risk assessments are suitable and sufficient and are communicated to employees.

Managers shall:

Ensure that where significant risks are identified risk assessments for work activities are carried out and recorded, in accordance with this procedure.

Ensure that risk assessments are conducted prior to the activity being undertaken.

Consider all those persons at risk including, employees, members of the public, volunteers and contractors.

Identify hazards and risks associated with the activity, changes to equipment, systems or activities etc.

Ensure that the control measures identified in risk assessments are implemented consistently.

Ensure that risk assessments are communicated to all relevant persons.

Ensure that risk assessments are regularly reviewed, at least every two years where there has been no change.

The Health and Safety Team shall:

Provide independent advice and guidance on the completion of risk assessments

Offer training on risk assessment when requested

Assess completed risk assessments and work with managers to ensure risk assessments are suitable and sufficient to reduce risks to employees to as low as reasonably practicable.

Ensure a risk assessment register is maintained and risk assessments are uploaded to the intranet.



3 Methodology

3.1 Terminology

A Hazard is something with the potential to cause harm.

Risk is the combined likelihood of that harm actually occurring and the severity of its consequences.

Risk Assessment is an evaluation of the chance that a hazard will cause harm.

3.2 General

The Risk Assessment process consists of eight essential steps:

1. Identify the hazards 2. Identify who is at risk (employees, members of public, visitors, volunteers, contractors etc.) 3. Assess the risk with no control measures in place 4. Outline the control measures already in place (existing) 5. Assess the risk with control measures in place to establish the residual risk rating. 6. Identify residual risk control measures and further control measures 7. Communicate the risk assessment to all relevant persons

8. Implement the risk assessment, monitor and Review

3.3 Identifying the hazard

One of the most important aspects of a risk assessment is to accurately identify the potential hazards. A good starting point is to walk around the workplace and consider any hazards. In other words, what is it about the activities, processes or substances used that could injure employees or harm their health?

The person/s responsible for identifying and evaluating hazards should have experience of performing the task, and must have received adequate training in performing risk assessments.

Where significant hazards have been identified (Medium or High Risk without any controls) a formal risk assessment must be recorded using the appropriate form. Low risk hazards do not require documenting on a formal risk assessment.

Refer to Appendix 2 for a list of common hazards.

3.4 Identifying who is at risk

Consider how employees (or others who may be present, such as contractors or visitors) might be harmed. Ask employees what they think the hazards are, as they may notice things that are not obvious and may have some good ideas on how to control the risks.

For each hazard establish who might be harmed – it will help to identify the best way of controlling the risk. That doesn’t mean listing everyone by name, but rather identifying groups of people. Some workers may have particular requirements, eg new and young workers, new or expectant mothers, people with disabilities, temporary workers, contractors, homeworkers and lone workers. Consider whether members of the public could be harmed by the work activities. If the workplace is shared with another business, consider how the work affects others.

3.5 Assessing the risk

Having identified the hazards decide how likely it is that harm will occur, ie the level of risk and what to do about it. This means doing everything ‘reasonably practicable’ to protect people from harm and balancing the level of risk



against the measures needed to control the real risk in terms of money, time or trouble. Risk assessments should only include what a reasonable person would be expected to know for example it is common knowledge that doing roof repairs on a windy day could result in falling from the roof.

Risks should be evaluated before and after control measures are put in place. The judgement about the severity rating of the hazard, with or without any control measures in place, should be entered on the Risk Assessment form as a number using the Severity Rating Guidance shown in Table 1 (below).

Table 1: Severity Rating Guidance

Outcome Value

Delay only 1

Minor injury, minor damage 2

Lost time injury, illness, major damage 3

Major injury, disabling illness, major damage 4

Single fatality, or permanent total disability 5

Multiple fatalities 6

The second part of the risk evaluation is a judgement on the likelihood of the hazard actually causing harm. A number should be entered in the likelihood columns of the risk assessment form using the Likelihood Rating Guidance shown in table 2 (below).

Table 2: Likelihood Rating Guidance

Likelihood Value

Very unlikely 1

Unlikely 2

May happen 3

Likely 4

Very likely 5

Certain or imminent 6


The next stage is to plot the severity number and the likelihood number on the Risk assessment Matrix (see table below). This process will produce a risk rating of HIGH, MEDIUM, or LOW.

Table 3: Risk Assessment Matrix (Probability and Likelihood Scales)

Likelihood rating

Severity Rating

Description

1 2 3 4 5 6

Very Unlikely

Unlikely May happen

Likely Very likely

Certain or imminent

1 Delay only

2 Minor injury, minor damage LOW

3 Lost time injury, illness, major damage

4 Major injury, disabling illness, major damage

MEDIUM

5 Single fatality, or permanent total disability

6 Multiple fatalities

HIGH

3.6 Residual risk

The residual risk is the portion of risk remaining after control measures have been implemented. The following table gives suggested actions for the three different levels of residual risk:

Residual Risk Action

Low Risk Control measures are in place and adequately maintained. No further improvements are necessary. Continuous improvements should be sought during the review.

Medium Risk Although risk is tolerable when control measures have been identified and implemented, further risk reduction measures are needed.

High Risk Further risk reduction measures MUST be undertaken.

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3.7 Specific risk assessments

Specific risk assessments can be listed as a control measure in the general risk assessment form. For instance, where manual handling activities are involved (refer to the Manual Handling Risk Assessment Procedure CSA036).

When a hazard and resulting controls would have to be repeated in several task based risk assessments a specific risk assessment can be conducted then referred to rather than repeating the same information on each risk assessment.

Specific risk assessments should be completed for certain employees including pregnant workers; young persons; students on work experience; employees returning to work after significant illness; diagnosed medical condition that affects work etc. (this is not an exhaustive list, for advice contact the H&S Team)

For those employees returning to work from illness or employees with disabilities managers shall consider at the risk assessment phase whether a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is required. Guidance documents and template risk assessments, including the PEEP template are available on the Health and Safety pages on the Intranet.

3.8 Existing control measures

Existing control measures are risk reduction measures which have been taken, and are currently implemented, to reduce the severity and likelihood of an accident/ ill health occurring. Consideration shall be given to reducing risks according to the following hierarchy:

Elimination

Substitution

Engineering Controls

Signage/warnings and/or safe systems of work

Personal protective equipment

Existing control measure shall consider:

Physical control measures: e.g. engineering controls, barriers, guards, personal protective equipment etc.

Planning: e.g. procedures, safe systems of work, corporate guidance, permit to work etc.

Supervision: e.g. Implementing procedures, enforcing standards, enforcing PPE requirements etc.

Training: e.g. Induction, use of work equipment, manual handling, toolbox talks etc.

3.9 Corporate arrangements

Corporate arrangements are in place for health and safety issues that affect DBC employees. These documents included guidance, best practices, and safe working procedures that require implementation as part of your controls of common hazard management. Managers refer to Corporate Arrangements when carrying out service specific risk assessments. Corporate arrangements can be listed as a control measure in the risk assessment form. There are some general risk assessments available i.e. for car drivers on council business or office workers. Managers are encouraged to use these where they can but must adapt information to ensure they are suitable and sufficient for employees.

3.10 Behavioural Safety

When carrying out risk assessments behavioural safety should be considered. Accidents can be caused by any one (or combination) of the following behaviours:

Lapse of attention



Genuine mistake: This could be caused by a lack of knowledge and/or training or through misunderstanding a situation

Deliberately cutting corners in an effort to maximise productivity

Rule breaking

Environmental factors: poor maintenance, housekeeping or the failure of systems and equipment

It is human behaviour to find the easiest and most efficient way to do something, or to take a short cut. Wherever possible make sure that the short cut is the safest method available and the one written into the control measures.

3.11 Residual Risk Control Measures/ Dynamic Risk Assessment

The importance of carrying out dynamic risk assessment must be included in the risk assessment process and can be documented in this column. The word ‘dynamic’ when relating to a system or process is characterised by constant change, activity or progress and recognises that employees must take account of changing conditions before beginning an activity. Employees must be encouraged to trust their own judgement and alter work accordingly. They must not put themselves into a situation where they feel vulnerable or threatened and must understand how to take account of changing conditions and adapt their work or seek advice from their line manager.

3.12 Further control measures

Further control measures should be listed in the last column of the risk assessment form. These are control measure which have been identified, but are not currently implemented/ in place.

When carrying out risk assessments managers must constantly strive to reduce risks to as low as reasonably practicable but it is accepted that all possible control measures cannot be put into place immediately. It is advisable for an implementation date to be put besides any further control measures which are identified. Once the further control measures have been put into practice, they should be transferred to the section entitled ‘Existing Control Measures’.

When prioritising the implementation of new controls, those which will reduce the most serious risks must be considered first. Although cost is a factor in considering the introduction of health and safety controls it carries less weight, the higher the risk, so far as is reasonably practicable.

3.13 Communication of risk assessments

Managers should ensure that the risk assessments are communicated to employees. Employees must be encouraged to identify and communicate shortcomings in the risk assessments and to raise their concerns with managers.

Risk assessments, once completed will be forwarded to the Health and Safety Team who will make them available to all staff on the intranet in order to share good practice.

3.14 Review

Changes in legislation, the nature of the work, the occurrence of accidents/ incidents and near misses and the appreciation of risks should be followed by a review of the risk assessment. A review should also take place if new work equipment is used in the activity.

It is also good practice to review risk assessments at regular intervals to ensure that they are a true reflection of the activity being carried out. If none of the above has occurred, best practice for review would be every two years. Managers must ensure the retain copies of all previous versions.

Make sure your risk assessments stay up to date. Look at your risk assessment again and ask yourself: CSA016 – RISK ASSESSMENT


• Have there been any significant changes? • Are there improvements you still need to make? • Have your employees spotted a problem? • Have you learnt anything from accidents or near misses?


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Appendix 1: Risk Assessment Flow Chart

Identify task/ activity to be risk assessed

Identify the hazards associated with the task and who is affected

Identify and record existing control measures

Carry out specific risk assessments

Refer to council Procedures / guidance

Assess the risk with existing control measures in place

Residual risk is LOW

Residual risk is MEDIUM

Residual risk is HIGH

Identify further control measures, where possible

Identify further control measures

Communicate results

Monitor & review

Assess the risk with no control measures in place. If the risk is low there is no need to document a risk assessment.


5 Appendix 2: List of Common Hazards

The following list includes hazards which may arise when carrying out work activities. The list is not exhaustive and is designed to assist those who are new to the risk assessment process. Reference shall be made to the relevant arrangements when conducting risk assessments. This is not an exhaustive list

Aggression and Violence including Bullying

Hazardous Substances

Computer Stations

Driving

Electricity

Fire

Access/ Egress

Housekeeping

Heights

Manual Handling

Noise

Plant and Equipment

Environmental Hazards including;

Slips trips and falls,

Lighting,

Legionella,

Asbestos,

Cross infection,

Temperature

Vibration

Vehicles and Transport

Personal Hazards including; o Pregnant persons, o Young workers, o Injured employees, o Employees with a disability, o Stress

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6


Appendix 3: Risk Assessment Form

NEXT PAGE


~-~~- DARLINGTON II Wi BOROUGH COUNCIL Corporate Risk Assessment Form

GROUP: DIVISION/SECTION ACTIVITY

Manager(s): H&S Team Member Name (if involved) Date First Completed: Date of Last Review(s): Next Review Date:

What are the hazards? What could happen?

Risk assessment rating with no controls

Who is at risk? Risk assessment rating with controls

Residual risk control measures

S L R S L RR

Further control measures

Existing control measures


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